Float



Jan. 29, 1929.

H. W. BRADLEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNEY.

N A K i m 1? i N w E i mi 5 Jan. 29, 1929.

' H. w. BRADLEY FLOAT Filed March 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i! lllll? ATTORNEY.

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Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

UNITED STATES OFFICE.

FLOAT.

Application filed March 28, 1928. Serial Ito. 265,509.

This invention relates to floating docks, and has for an object the provision of a floating dock, or, as is known in the trade, a float of metal constii'uction, except as to certain detail fe tures to be hereinafter meir tioned, and the invention has for an object the production of a float having novel means for buoying it.

It is furthermore an object of the invention to produce a float having a metal frame with a sectional floor or deck.

t is a still further object of this invention to produce a float having slips and to provide means for bracing the frame at the entrances of the slips so submerged that they will not interfere with the entrance or exit of boats.

It is furthermore an object to provide a novel mounting for buoys that are to be installed in association with the frame of the float.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure lillustrates a view in side elevation, showing afloat embodying the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates an underneath plan of a fragment of the frame of the float;

Figure 3 illustrates a sectional View of the frame, showing a buoy mounting;

Figure a illustrates a rear end view of the float;

Figure 5 illustrates a plan view of the float broken away;

Figure 6 illustrates a detail View, showing a fragment of a floor section and its attach ment; and

Figure 7 illustrates a plan View thereof.

In the construction of floats, they, of course, can be made with single, duplex or a greater nlmiber of slips and yet fall within the description as to the frame structure herein shown and described.

In the present drawing, a float is shown as having two slips. The frame structure on each side of a slip is preferably duplicated and therefore a showing of the framing for one side of a slip will, it is thought, enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention.

- Referring to Figure 2, the space for the entrance of boats would be outlined by the frame members 10 and 1]. and each of these members may have diagonally disposed braces, such as 12, and transversely extend mg frame members 13. Preferably a channel iron is used for the frame members 10, 11 and 13 and they, of course, may be secured together by the usual fastenings, such as rivets. Guiding bufiers 14- and 15 are provided at opposite sides of the entrance to a slip with which the side of a boat may come in contact without liability of injury to the boat or to the float and these will serve to guide the boat into the slip. Each of the frame members 10 and 11. has an associated frame member, such as 11 The floor 1.6 of the float is made up of a plurality of hatch-like sections 16 and each section may be secured to a horizontally dis posed frame member preferably at the corners of the sections to minimize the number to be employed in anchoring'the sections of the floor. By reason of the provision of the sectional floor-in access may be had to the frame structure below the floor or to the buoys Without impairing the material of the floor. The corners of the floor sections may be provided with a bolt extending through a floor plank A and a strip B to which the door planks are secured and the bolt may be anchored to a frame member by a clip (I on the bolt.

As shown in Figure 4., what may be termed a section A of the frame of the float is connected to what may be termed a section B of the frame of the float by a horizontally disposed brace 17 which is located below the submerged line of draft of a boat of the capacity for which the slip is formed. It is shown in the drawing that the sections A and B of the float have depending front frame members 18 and 19, respectively, to which the brace is connected. Where a float having two slips is under construction, the brace 17 may extend the full width of the float and it may be connected to a plurality of depending members, such as 18 and 19.

The structure just mentioned insures stability of the end of the float with relation to which boats may move and will prevent distortion of the frame, even though the boats strike the guides or the sides of the slip with considerable impact.

The slips are bridged by appropriate awning frames 20 whose ends may be anchored to the frame of the float and when appropriately covered, the awning frames will act as protection for boats occupying the slips.

As a means for providing buoyancy for the float, a plurality of air drums 21 are mounted under the frame. They are preferably arranged in pairs and each pair is associated with transversely disposed cross members or braces, here shown as in the nature of channel irons, 22 and 23 whose webs are attached to flanges of the longitudinally extending frame members by fastenings 2e, such as rivets. or the like. As shown in the drawing, the flanges 25 and 26 of the cross members extend downwardly and the flanges of each cross member embrace a saddle or cradle 27 made of wood which is creosoted or otherwise treated to prolong its durability. The drums are seated in recesses 28 formed in the saddles or cradles and are held therein by stirrups or straps 29 whose ends project through the cross members and are anchored therein by appropriate fastenings 30, such as nuts or the like. It is shown in Fig. 3 that one end of two of the members extends through the saddle as well as the cross member, and that the end of one of the members extends through a flange of a frame member as well as through the cross member so that the drums and their mountings as units may be expeditiously installed or removed. By reason of this condition, the substitution of new drums, should they become impz'tired through accident or deterioration, would prove less expensive than repairs for reconditioning old ones.

1 claim:

1. In a float, a frame comprising parallel frame members located on each side of a slip, braces connecting the inner frame member on one side to the inner frame member on the other side at the inner end of the slip, members connected to the frame members and extending downwardly therefrom at the front of the slip, a transversely disposed brace connected to the lower ends of the said members, and means for buoying the float.

2. In a float, a frame comprising parallel frame members located on each side of a slip, braces connecting the inner frame member on one side to the inner frame member on the other side at the inner end of the slip,1nembers connected to the frame members and extend ing downwardly therefrom at the front of the slip, a trz-insversely disposed brace connected to the lower ends of the said members,

means for buoying the float comprising saddles extending from one frame member to another of a pair, means for attaching the saddles to the said members, and air drums secured to the said saddles.

3. In a float, a frame comprising parallel frame members located on each side of a slip. braces connecting the inner frame member on one side to the inner framemember on the other side at the inner end of the slip, curved buffers each having its ends connected to each of a pair of frame members, members connected to the frame members and extending downwardly therefrom at the front of the slip, a transversely disposed brace connecting the lower ends of the last mentioned members, and means for buoying the float.

l. Iii a float, a frame comprising parallel frame members located on each side of slip, braces connecting the inner frame member on one side to the inner frame member on the other side at the inner end of the slip, curved buffers each having its ends connected to each of a pair of frame members, members connected to the frame members and extending downwardly therefrom at the front of the slip, a transversely disposed brace connecting the lower ends of the last mentioned members, means for buoying the float com prising saddles extending from one frame nien'iber to another of a pair, means for attaching the saddles to the said members, and air drums secured to the said saddles.

HERBERT W. BRADLEY. 

